When Checking Your Credit Do You Know What to Check? Find Out Here!

Posted on September 1, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Everyone should always know what’s on their credit report. But reading and understanding credit reports can be very confusing. In order to help you out we found this article with five different things to review on your credit report. We hope it helps!

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From the article:

As a prospective home owner, you may find yourself paying closer attention to your credit. And rightfully so. A home can be one of the most important investments you???ll make during your lifetime. Home ownership is still the American dream for many. A home can become a part of your family???s story.

Applying for your home loan
Your lender will want to know as much about you as possible before approving your loan application. Before lending money, lenders want to make sure that you meet their credit risk guidelines. This is why it???s so important to check your own credit report ahead of time. What are the elements that make it a good report? What are the elements that may have lowered your score? Remember, what you see on your credit report is what potential lenders may consider when deciding to offer you a loan.

Your credit is a snapshot
Credit ReportThink of your credit report as a snapshot of how you take responsibility for your credit; it???s a snapshot that anyone with permission can review. You might say it reveals the state of your credit???s health at any point in your life. For your own viewing purposes, your credit report is an excellent way to tell if you???re making good financial decisions that could affect where you work, play and live. There are certain types of information on your credit report that you should pay close attention to. These are areas that potential creditors will examine when checking your credit report to determine if you???re a good credit risk.

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Looking to get a mortgage? Then checkout this article about getting a mortgage tips that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.zillow.com/blog/5-important-things-to-review-146693/

Looking for Interior Design Trends of 2014? Start Here!

Posted on August 18, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Design trends change every year. Sometimes it’s because of advances in technology and other times it’s just because personal style changes. Regardless of the reason we found this article with 10 interior design trends of 2014. We hope it helps you decide how to update your home!

From the article:

A new year means a fresh start, and what better way to kick off 2014 than by updating the look of your home. All it takes are a few simple changes to breathe life into familiar spaces. This year???s interior design trends are all about creating dramatic impact from simplicity, because the looks are simultaneously more bold and more accessible than ever before. We???ve carefully chosen 10 of the most prominent trends for you to try. Not cheesy, not overdone, these trends are sophisticated enough to stick around for a long time to come.

Saturated colors
Leave gray, beige and greige in the rearview mirror in favor of deeply-saturated hues like navy and plum. In fact, navy is considered a new neutral for its ability to blend with other colors and styles. If a darker shade on the wall seems too scary, start with a piece of furniture like a sofa or sectional as your focal point and work from there.

High style at low prices
Haute design trends have never been more affordable, thanks to retail innovations including collaborations with famous designers. Stores like Target have upped the ante by providing affordable trends to the masses while they???re still ???au courant???. Now, even non-designers are totally in the know.

Light-toned wood
For many years, dark tones like mahogany and cherry dominated the wood furniture market. This year caramel and honey tones will take the spotlight. The softer look blends with any design style and keeps furnishings from feeling heavy or fussy.

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Have questions about design and remodeling trends of 2014? Then checkout this article about home trends 2014 that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2014/01/10-interior-design-trends-for-2014.html

Looking For More Cabinet Space but Limited on Space? Checkout These Ideas!

Posted on August 7, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Trying to stay organized in a small space is very difficult. In order to help you out we found this article with space saving cabinets. We hope you find something that works for you and your space!

From the article:

While shopping for new pieces of furniture is always a fun activity, finding ones that fit your limited space is often difficult, but these space-saving cabinet designs are some great examples of compact storage spaces that are suitable for any home.

Finding a way to store all your essential belongings is tricky when you don’t have enough interior space to do it in, but these creatively designed furniture pieces have found inventive ways to make use of small and tight spaces. From cabinets that are stacked upright on top of each other, to those that can be mounted on the wall, these space-saving storage creations are perfect for those who need to fit a lof of stuff into tiny areas.

Whether you have a one room apartment or are just looking for some practical storage solutions, these fantastically designed cabinets will certainly free up a lot of usable space.

Extraordinary Unfolding Furnishings

The Kai Table unlatches and unhinges to reveal hidden cabinets

Staircase Storage

These Unicract joinery step drawers offer a convenient place to store things

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Looking to organize your garage? Then checkout this article with garage organization ideas that could be of interest to you.
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View all the ideas here: http://www.trendhunter.com/slideshow/spacesaving-cabinet-designs

Want to Be More Successful at Work? Then do This 15 Minute Activity!

Posted on July 31, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Everyone wants to be more successful at what they do. Whether it be as a father, mother, wife, son, daughter, or worker. In order to help you be more successful at work we found this article with a 15 minute activity that we hope will help you be more successful!

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From the article:

According to a new working paper from Harvard Business School, setting aside 15 minutes to write at the end of the workday is enough to make you better at your job.

???When people have the opportunity to reflect, they experience a boost in self-efficacy,??? says HBS professor Francesca Gino. ???They feel more confident that they can achieve things. As a result, they put more effort into what they???re doing and what they learn.???

In a series of laboratory and field experiments, Gino and her colleagues found that reflection leads to better performance. The most telling example comes from their field experiment with an Indian outsourcing company called Wipro.

The researchers put new employees into groups where people either reflected on their days or didn???t. In the reflection group, employees were given a paper journal and asked to spend 15 minutes at the end of their workdays writing about what went well that day, which they did for 10 days.

The result: The journaling employees had 22.8% higher performance than the control group.

???In the field study, we were asking people to work less,??? Gino says. ???It???s counterintuitive, because you think you want to use those 15 minutes to keep working, but it actually leads to performance.???

The study sprang from the experiences Gino and her colleagues have had as instructors. After each class she teaches, she takes time to debrief, noting the comments students made and what points of hers led to quality discussions. She then folds those insights into the next class she teaches.

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Have a hard time balancing your work and life? Then checkout this article with work life balance that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/05/23/this-15-minute-activity-will-make-you-more-successful-at-work/

Looking to Create the Perfect Mudroom? Include These Elements!

Posted on July 7, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Mudrooms are rooms that most homes need but few actually have. If you are lucky enough to have one then it’s important to have it be as functional as possible. In order to help you with that we found this article with 7 different elements to include in yours. We hope it helps!

From the article:

Unlike a front entry, seen by all and used by guests, the mudroom is usually a home’s secondary entrance. It’s one of those rooms that many older homes don’t have, and many of us pine for. It’s a hardworking space ??? even the tiniest of mudrooms is helpful for keeping the house clean and organized and the family efficient. Here are some inspiring spaces that showcase the elements of an efficient mudroom.

1. Hooks & Racks: Coats, hats, scarves, umbrellas, they all need somewhere to hang. If you don’t have a mudroom and want to start small, you could simply add a row of hooks. You could even do multiple rows to maximize your wall space.

2. Bench: Next on the the mudroom checklist would be a bench. When coming home, the first thing you want to do before entering the rest of your house is sit down and take off your shoes. Make your bench do double-duty by putting a boot tray underneath, or using a bench with a flip-up seat for extra concealed storage.

3. Cubbies or Lockers: The ultimate mudroom feature is a set of open cubbies or lockers. Have one for each member of your family so everyone has their own designated storage space. Provide low storage for shoes, hooks for coats, and high storage for seasonal items.

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Looking to organize your home? Then checkout this article with home organization tips that could be of interest to you.
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Checkout all the elements here: http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/the-7-elements-of-a-perfect-mudroom-193486

Looking to Make Your Own Laundry Detergent? Follow These Recipes!

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Everyone knows that making your own laundry detergent is cheaper than buying it. Regardless of whether you like powder, liquid, or pods. It’s always cheaper to make it. If you’re wanting to try it but don’t have a recipe to follow then you’ve come to the right place. We found this article with five different homemade laundry detergent recipes for you to try. We hope it helps!

From the article:

I???ve never made homemade laundry detergent. Oh, it???s been on my {too} long to-do list of things I eventually want to try my hand at making. But much like homemade toothpaste, I just haven???t gotten there yet.

(It???s probably because I???m pretty satisfied with the natural and eco-friendly detergent I am already using!)

I have, however, been collecting homemade laundry detergent recipes and pinning them to my ???For the Home??? board on Pinterest. Maybe one of these day I???ll get around to making these.

In the meantime, you can try one of these homemade laundry detergent recipes and tell me what you think:

DIY Powdered Soap Nuts
This recipes from Eco-Friendly Family looks phenomenal. I have tried soap nuts a few times and still have some leftover from my last Jenuinely Pure review. I love that they are 100 percent natural!

This recipe is unique from other homemade detergent recipes in that it appears to be cloth-diaper safe! (In my eBook, I recommend staying away from many homemade detergents because those that use soaps like Fels Naptha or Ivory can leave residue on your cloth diapers.)

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Looking to makeover the outside of your home? Then checkout this article with outdoor makeover ideas that could be of interest to you.
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Read all the recipes here: http://thehumbledhomemaker.com/2013/05/homemade-laundry-detergents.html

Wonder How Touch Screens Affect Your Child’s Brain? Find Out Here!

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

With everything so hi-tech nowadays and everything seeming to have a touch screen it’s natural to wonder what affect they will have on your child’s brain. We found this great article that will answer that question. We hope it helps!

From the article:

Children today are surrounded by screen upon screen upon screen: second screens, third screens, screens on our wrists and even our faces. It???s not uncommon to have one in every room. Screen time???especially if you???re talking about touchscreens???is a perplexing issue all modern parents have to confront.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is unequivocal: If your kid is under 2, no screens. For older kids, two hours a day, max. But the AAP doesn???t differentiate between activities; education apps, base-jumping videos, first-person shooters, ebooks, Sesame Street, and The Shining are all thrown into the same bucket. It???s all just screen time.

Trouble is, they???re not all the same. An app that teaches your kid his ABCs isn???t the same as a television cartoon, but the AAP is probably right to be conservative with its advice. ???Researchers know almost nothing about the impact of touchscreen technology on young children,??? says Heather Kirkorian, an assistant professor of human development and family studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who is trying to find some answers. ???Our society is running a large-scale experiment with real children in the real world, and we won???t know the impact, if any, for many years to come.???

Comforting! All the more so because keeping kids away from touchscreens these days is harder than keeping them away from candy. The screens have become one of our cultural platforms???the modern agora where we get our music, movies, books, social interactions, games, and even education.

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Looking for life hacks to make parenting easier? Then checkout this article with life hacks to make parenting easier that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.wired.com/2014/04/children-and-touch-screens/

Love Celebrity Homes? Check These Out!

Posted on May 5, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

Looking at celebrity homes can be so fun! It gives us a chance to see how the other half lives and also can give us ideas when designing or remodeling a home for us. We found this great article with 37 different homes for you to look at and enjoy. We hope they give you ideas for you home!

From the article:

Celebrities, they’re just like us … except they live in homes that are twice (or ten times!) the size of ours.

From Malibu beach houses to New York City penthouses, stars own some of the most beautiful pads in the world. Take Kim Kardashian and Kanye West for example — the couple, who are welcoming their first child this summer, recently bought a $10.75 million in Los Angeles which they plan on renovating.

And speaking of renovations, have you seen Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi’s Hidden Valley, Calif., ranch? It was just featured in Elle Decor’s May issue — and it’s INCREDIBLE.

But we have to be honest, Reese Witherspoon’s Ojai, Calif., estate gives Ellen and Portia a run for their money.

Check out 37 of the most amazing celebrity homes below:

Matthew McConaughey

Location: Austin, Tex.
Price: $4 million

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Looking for ways to improve your closet? Then checkout this article with closet ideas that could be of interest to you.
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For all the homes click here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/14/celebrity-homes-photos_n_3273244.html

Want to Be a Smarter Person? Learn What They DON’T Do Here!

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

There are different types of smart people for sure but they all have certain things in common. In order to help you become the best person you can be we found this article with 10 things that smart people DON’T do. We hope it helps you now and in the future!

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If you need Baton Rouge vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus< is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote! ----------------- From the article:

What do you think of when you hear that someone is ???smart???? You probably conjure up an image of an intelligent person. But being ???smart??? is so much more than being able to answer trivia questions and scoring highly on tests. Smart people are also compassionate, imaginative, humble, and appreciative. They view themselves as a small piece of a vast world, and they know that they have the ability to do great things.

And smart people definitely do not do these 10 things.
They don???t focus on the negative.
Smart people know that they are in control of their thoughts. And they choose to focus those thoughts on the positive. Smart people believe wholeheartedly that what the mind can conceive, it can also achieve. They know that life becomes easier and more enjoyable when they harness their ability to dream, wonder, create, build, transform, and love.

They don???t worry about what other people think about them.
Smart people don???t let the negative opinions of others deter them from living a life filled with happiness and purpose. The world has no shortage of doubters, haters, and cynics. But smart people brush the naysayers aside. They surround themselves with other smart people who share their values and passions.

They don???t go a day without giving thanks.
This is perhaps the most important thing you can do if you want to be ???smart.??? Smart people know that the world doesn???t revolve around them. They believe in the power of the greater good and know that a simple selfless act as small as a smile to a random stranger may just change someone???s life???and their own.

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Want to be the best parent you can be? Then checkout this article about parenting pitfalls to avoid that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-things-smart-people-dont.html

Interested in a Smart Thermostat? Find Out All They Can Do Here!

Posted on March 6, 2014 by Jeremy Leake

With all the advances in technology it can be no surprise that thermostats have made advances as well. We found this article that describes the many different ways that they have made advances. We hope it’ll help you make up your mind on if you need a smart thermostat or not!

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If you need Baton Rouge vent cleaning services, then Dryer Vents Plus is your #1 choice! Call Jeremy Leake today at 225-612-7752 to schedule your 100% Free, No Obligation Quote!
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From the article:

Installing a smart thermostat is one of those fabulous, somewhat luxe, yet totally simple upgrades you can make in your home, that will increase your standard of living and make your home work for you a bit more than it already does. It’s the little things like this that make a man feel like a king…. and by man, I obviously mean mankind, because we don’t discriminate here at TDC, am I right? One for all and all that jazz.

What If I told you that what you consider smart, just got a whole lot smarter? Consider yourself told… because that is precisely what I’m about to do!

Honeywell, a global energy efficiency leader, with products and technologies in more than 150 million homes today, introduced its latest connected home innovation: the Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat with Voice Control. Yep you heard me right… voice control! Yippee…

The new voice technology allows consumers to simply say, ???Hello, thermostat,??? to activate and control their home???s temperature. A first-of-its-kind consumer device (supa dupa cutting edge – just the way we like it, right?), the Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat with Voice Control uses advanced far-field voice-control technology (say what?), which means…. that it cuts through the crazy noise from your kids and dogs (and spouses) and can recognize commands like: ???make it four degrees warmer??? or ???make it much cooler??? — even from across the room.

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Looking to cut your electricity bills? Then checkout this article about cutting electricity bills that could be of interest to you.
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Read the entire article here: http://www.thedesignconfidential.com/2013/09/smart-thermostats-just-got-whole-lot-smarter